10 Thoughts: Canadiens Dominate Mammoth in 6-2 Victory
The Canadiens struggled early on Saturday against Utah but regained control after taking the lead in the second period. From that point, they did not falter, delivering one of their best offensive performances of the season.
The Utah Mammoth, known as the Arizona Coyotes until 15 months ago, came into Montreal just two points behind the Canadiens. Both teams feature young, speedy rosters and a strong defensive style capable of limiting scoring chances.
Montreal returned to the Bell Centre for the start of a home stand, looking to bounce back from two recent losses decided in shootout and overtime. The key question was whether the Canadiens could lift their intensity and secure a regulation-time win against a tough opponent.
After conceding an early goal again, the Canadiens’ blue-white-red squad composed themselves and played with the familiarity and skill seen in much of the season. Ivan Demidov and Oliver Kapanen combined for another goal, while Cole Caufield added two more to his tally. Samuel Montembeault’s strong goaltending and late goals from Nick Suzuki and Kirby Dach sealed a convincing 6-2 win, sparking celebration among fans.
Lineup
- Cole Caufield – Nick Suzuki – Juraj Slafkovsky
- Conor Newhook – Oliver Kapanen – Ivan Demidov
- Robert Bolduc – Kirby Dach – Brendan Gallagher
- Zachary Anderson – Noah Evans – Lucas Veleno
- Neal Matheson – Jack Dobson
- Matt Struble – Malcolm Hutson
- Jordan Xhekaj – Kurtis Carrier
Key Observations
“For the second game in a row, the Canadiens gave up a quick goal to start the game.”
Despite the early concession, the Canadiens showed resilience and gradually imposed their style, demonstrating teamwork and timely scoring.
Author’s Summary
Montreal overcame an early deficit to deliver a commanding 6-2 victory, highlighted by strong offense, solid goaltending, and effective teamwork throughout the game.